Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-01-19

clerk some instructions in q low tone and
handed me q pass key. I slyly went to my
room.
The house was still. Suddenly there
rang out an alarm OF fire. Soon confu-
sion reigned. Guests were rudely awak-
ened. They hurried out Of windows or
down the stairs. In few minutes every
body returned, pale, trembling and nerv-
GUS. The fire had been put out with not
very heavy damage, strange to say.
Nobody, fortunately, was hurt. Every
body congratulated everybody on narrow
escapes. To this day there are, l under
stand, only three persons who have known
the origin of that fire alarm.
To any outsider would 1t not have been
surprising that the occupants OF rooms.
adjoining mine were more dressed than
any others of the fleeing guests Further
more, my %neighbors had scarcely disap-
peared for downstairs till my pass key,
furnished by the proprietor, was used. IL
ever an intrusion was justiliable that
was, for q quick glance before a hasty
exit showed me a lighted bulls eye Ian
tern set on the carpet and near II an open
valise. That valise held an electric bat
terry. Its wires led TO another valise
which contained "A reel from which led a
wire running through a space beneath
the partially raised lower sash out into
the darkness toward the railway bridge.
Scarcely had the fire alarm commotion
subsidized when there came a rumbling and
a roar in the quiet night. The New York
night express was nearing Watkins Glen
station. The bridge Waterman came from
his shanty and signaled "Go ahcadN' To
whats The ponderous train crept over
the bridge. | shuddered, thinking Of
what might have happened.
The conspirators were hushed. could
imagine one, whose room gave him a view
OF the bridge, peering out anxionsly as
the trains lights flashed on TO the doomed
bridge. Did any remorse seize him for
the dastardly deed of trying 10 hurl that
unwarned train TO certain death aud RUM
He seized the reel with one hand 10 quick
ly draw in the evidence Of his crime.
With the other he pressed the electric
button and sped the fatal spark to the
end of the wire. The devilish %cOntriv-
snce did not work. Before the licnd could
from his establishment the train
had passed safely acruSs the bridge.
With an oath the villain turned as the
door was flung open and revolyers held
him prisoner. The tarantula when cor
nered stings itself. The trainwrecker
pushed his right hand into a side packet
and withdrew II, not holding a revolver
but something which he swallowed. lie
staggered and fell-dead. prusSic acid.
carried for years, had rescued him from
earthly punishment. His partner, next
door, was captured by surprise. lie too
was fully dressed but stoutly denied his
completely in any crime.
The electric apparatus, wire, Internal
machine and my testimony convicted him.
He is now visiting Auburn to he enter
tanned by the state for ten years. lie
turned traitor 10 the rest Of the gang and
tried TO turn states evidence. \ Number
OF rascals had planned Ia wreck that train.
Several stationed themselves in the glen
below To plumber the debris aad the
bodies.
My good luck in frustrating the muir
derous design commended me To the rail
way company and l was given a lucrative
position as some of my reward for pre-
venting what would have proven IA
calamity almost unparalleled in the his
tory of railroads. The cuff box is kept
among the archives Of the company.
Come out north Of here tomorrow and
I'll show you a hole like a cellar dug by
the explosion Of its contents. IL con-
tanned enough dynamite and chloride Of
nitrogen TO have more than accom-
plished its yillainous purpose.-T. G. La
Noble in The Current.